This is a fan’s personal view of AFC Bournemouth from the outside looking in. It reports on the daily official activities reported by the club and comments made by individual fans on social media and fanbase websites. Life as an AFCB fan is never dull. As a life-long supporter of the Cherries, it is the friendliness of the staff, fans and my enthusiasm for the club that inspired me to write this blog.

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Monday, 16 January 2017

AFCB should look at José Fonte for a short term move

Far from being a quiet January transfer window the odds are now very high on AFCB making some signings. This is not just because of recent results but the recall of Nathan Aké doesn't leave the Cherries with enough cover if anyone is suspended or sustains an injury in the back four. The luxury of bringing in an attacker may for once not be the priority for Eddie Howe.The difficulty is that Steve Cook and Simon Francis are likely to remain the two players that Howe will want to play most in an AFCB back for at centre-half. What defender would want to come to a club when he is going to be the third choice and will be likely to sit on the bench for the majority of games? It took a long time for Nathan Aké to break into the side and even then, by accommodating him it meant that Simon Francis had to be switched to his old right back position.

Will we see a new defender in AFCB colours this January?

As captain it is important that Simon Francis plays games and while he can move position it is better for the side to have two players who are regularly playing at centre-half. Francis and Cook are that pair and it was only the amazing form of Aké that broke that. Now the return of Tyrone Mings is going to be a plus point, but I expect him to struggle to match the form of Francis and Cook. Marc Wilson has also not emerged as a player that is going to challenge for a starting place.

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Bringing in a new face has its problems, but I get the impression that the side really needs a lift and a simple way to get that is to bring in a player that is going to raise the quality of the squad. AFCB don't need a player to sit on the bench, they need a defender that is above what they already have and that would need big money.

Finding that man in January is also tough as very few clubs would be keen to sell a top central defender. Southampton may well be one club that think differently on such matters but would José Fonte come to Bournemouth? I don't have a problem with Fonte coming from Southampton - when your team is conceding three goals a game something needs to change. His wages may be a struggle to pay, but if the Saints would agree to a loan for the rest of the season, it would not be such a bad solution for either club and José could still get a big permanent move in the summer, while AFCB would have improved their squad. In other news, disabled access remains a problem at Dean Court, reports SkySports.

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Cherries substitutions made the difference for Howe

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is full of praise for Joshua King and Lys Mousset, who both came off the bench to score as the Cherries came from behind to beat Stoke City 2-1 #afcb ��https://t.co/Z0ttI4azBx

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About Me

I love watching AFCB with my two sons and you'll see me at Dean Court most home games and some away ones as I am an exile, no longer living in Bournemouth. I have supported the Cherries since the late 1970s, but did not go to my first match until 1981. I am a business to business magazine journalist on an international publication. I have been a journalist since 1992 when I completed my post-graduate diploma in journalism studies at Cardiff University.